Page 74 of To Forge a Hollow Crown

My heart seized in my chest. My Sihaya would never part with that blade willingly.

“Where is she?” My voice was like thunder rolling through the plains.

Theodas smirked. “She’s safe... for now. But if you continue on this warpath, and I can’t guarantee for how long.”

Memories of our moments together flooded my mind. Kael’s laugh, her flashing eyes as she stood her ground, her strength as we sparred. The idea of her being subjected to the same torment as these soldiers, or worse, was unbearable. I couldn’t lose her.

With a roar of fury, I lunged at Theodas, my rage guiding my blade. His eyes widened, but he recovered quickly, lifting his blade. Our swords clashed with a resonant clang, the sound echoing through the cavernous entrance. He parried my strikes, his movements fluid and graceful, not having been in battle for hours. But for all his skills, he lacked the raw fear driving me. The thought of Kael spurred me on, giving my strikes more power than he could muster.

We circled each other, each of us seeking an opening, a flaw in the other’s defense. The rhythm of our blades became a hypnotic beat, punctuated by grunts of effort and the occasional taunt from Theodas.

He blocked a vicious punch with a sneer. “You fight with anger,” he taunted. “It makes you predictable.” He struck, his sword glancing off my armor.

Our surroundings became a blur; the ancient symbols, the eerie light, all faded into insignificance. There was only me, Theodas, and the clash of our blades. Each parry sent shockwaves up my arm, each dodge and sidestep, sapping more of my energy. I needed to end this, and soon.

Seizing a moment when Theodas overextended, I drove forward, catching him off balance. Our blades locked, and I stared into his cold eyes, seeing my determination mirrored there.

“This ends now,” I hissed.

With a surge of strength, I forced him back, my sword slicing open his cheek.

Theodas swore, his eyes wild with fear. He stumbled backward toward his assembled soldiers. “Attack them!”

The soldiers snapped out of their stupor, attacking en masse. He stepped back, trying to escape. Tykas rushed in, stopping Theodas from running by engaging him in battle.

Wading into the fray, I struck down every soldier who dared stand against me. I couldn’t think about the fact that they were compelled, not now. I’d seek justice for these men another day. My sword became an extension of my arm, guided by something beyond myself. With each swing of Endbringer, a surge of energy passed through me.

My blade sliced through armor and bone alike as I cut a path through our enemies until I reached Theodas, where he battled with Tykas, the brothers circling one another. I pulled power, funneling it through my armor. Gold, Silver, Copper—everything. I didn’t care. I’d use everything I had to kill Theodas and get to Kael. My armor felt like a second skin, moving fluidly with each twist and turn. Endbringer hummed in my grip, resonating with the raw energy coursing through my veins.

Soldiers who dared to approach me were met with a force they couldn’t comprehend. My strikes sent foes flying, their bodies crashing into the walls. Blades aimed at me became sluggish, easily parried or evaded. For every soldier that fell to my blade, it seemed two hesitated, uncertainty finally piercing their conditioned minds.

“You lied to me for years. Forced me to beg for every crumb of affection. You ruined my life!” Tykas screamed as he lunged at Theodas. Tears streamed from Tykas’s reddened eyes as he attacked. His fists clenched tight with the anger of years of pain and suffering inflicted by his family. I knew that feeling, had dreamt of having this confrontation with Rhazien for years.

He was winning, his strikes becoming more confident and powerful with each passing second. I moved forward, hoping to help Tykas finish Theodas before he could do any more damage.

But it was too late.

Theodas landed a blow and stabbed Tykas in the chest, his bone sword cutting deep. He let out a strangled cry and sank to his knees. A primal roar tore from my throat, my gaze locking onto Theodas’s triumphant smirk.

My sword blurred. I struck with a power that shook the very walls of the chamber. He blocked and his sword—Kael’s sword—shattered. Theodas stumbled backward in disbelief, fear coating his features as he stumbled back, holding up his hands.

“Wait. Wait! WAIT!”

I struck, bringing my sword down in an arch aimed at his neck. Blood sprayed outwards in an arc as his body slumped, his head and one shoulder sliding off his torso to the ground, his lifeless eyes staring up at me in surprise. I leaned over him, retrieving Kael’s other sword at his waist, and put it in my scabbard.

It was over.

The soldiers stopped attacking, halting in strange synchronicity as I hurried to Tykas’s side, pressing my hand on the wound. I searched for my healing plate, but it was gone. “Is he dead?” He asked, his voice weak as blood bubbled between his lips.

“Yes,” I told him grimly.

“Good.”

He shuddered, blood seeping from under my hands. “Hold on, Tykas. Just hold on.”

“Theron?”

I glanced over my shoulder to see Raenisa standing behind me, her eyes wide as she looked around at the fallen and stationary soldiers.“Rae! I need your help.”

---